At least two of the seven runners who lost to Caster Semenya are convinced she is not a woman, and track and field’s international governing body has launched an investigation into the 18-year-old’s gender.

Semenya, an unknown before she ran a blistering time at the Africa Junior Championships three weeks ago, did not speak to media after the race. An interview sheet distributed by the International Assn. of Athletics Federations said “no comment available,” and Pierre Weiss, the IAAF’s general secretary, appeared in her place at a news conference because officials determined Semenya was unprepared to face a barrage of questions.

The controversy is focused around the track sensation's "strikingly muscular physique" and impressive speed. The teenager from Polokwane in South Africa's Limpopo province posted 1:55.45 at last night's 800 final in Berlin. That's the 13th fastest time in history and several competitors doubt her gender.

"There
are people who shouldn't compete with us," sixth-place finisher Elisa Cusma Piccione of Italy told journalists, reports the Los Angeles Times. "She is not a woman, she is a man. We let people win
medals, and they don't deserve it." The fifth-place finisher, Mariya Savinova of Russia, "made similar comments, according to Russian media who interviewed her."

Gender verification is described as "extremely complex", could "take weeks" to
draw conclusions and the team includes an endocrinologist, a gynecologist and a
psychologist, CNN reports. That's in addition to chromosome testing.

South African athletics officials are outraged and say Caster Semenya is "definitely" female. SA athletics fans have posted hundreds of comments on television and newspaper websites, with some claiming the speculation was racially motivated.

Comments

@ Gee Gee and CC:

Competing in sports, especially international sports, is a "privilege" and not a "right." However the IAAF, or any other athletic body has every "right" to demand whatever testing they feel is appropriate. The rules are very rigid so that no athletes or nations have an unfair advantage.

If you compete in sport you agree to the rules. The rules specify you can only compete in the category as your biological gender. Caster Semenya has only been competing internationally for THREE WEEKS. her appearance, her voice, her body and shattering records w/o any previous history is somewhat suspicious.

Finally the allegations of racism are absolutely ridiculous. There were several famous cases of "female" track stars who were actually MALE and those were discussed at the links Rod provided. The German, East German and Polish cases were all WHITE. Please stop making this about race when it is not.

yes there are rules but everyone is deserving of respect...the IAAF is wrong for discussing what there were doing with this woman and even their tone and manner is unacceptable. She is a human being for crying out loud with feelings. When this is all over she still has to go back home and go on with her life. they have put her up for ridicule! Are you saying that masculine women should not compete in womens sport? If not then this should not have been made public until and unless they had evidence to show that she is a man. And even so if she is a 'man' as defined by the IAAF and doesnt know it... she was raised a woman. this is not the way for her to find out!

We don’t discriminate against tall women and say they shouldn’t compete because they’re too tall.
If they have been born and raised as women and they think about themselves as women I would say let them compete as women.ccnaccent

The IAAF did not want to talk about the case. But a leak to an Australian newspaper forced them to acknowledge the issue.

It was not handled the best sure it could have been better. But it appears their hand was forced.

I have to wonder if the African officials did not know this was all going to be a concern and a big issue before they got to Berlin. A few have said they even wondered and had asked if Caster Semenya was male or female and had been assured it was all cleared and Caster Semenya is a female.

I read that report about her testosterone levels as well, but ya know what, so the eff what! Why would that make it unfair?That's why she's an athlete! Most NBA players grew up with higher than normal levels of Human Growth Hormone, should they all be banned? Many pro swimmers have genetically larger lungs than the rest of us, should they be banned cause they are too much like dolphins? LOL

As long as she's genetically female and clean of drugs, they need to drop this shyt. Congrats Caster!

I did however find this gem in the youtube comments,..Caster Semenya is an anagram for "Yes, a secret man" ROFL try it out! Gave me my laugh for the night.

This was not about genetics. Many people are genetically gifted naturally.

It makes it unfair it Caster Semenya is a male running as a female. It makes it unfair if Caster Semenya has been doped to the gills by a man who long ago admitted his involvement with the German doping machine of the 70s and 80s. I hope that’s not the case as who knows what Caster Semenya would suffer later in life.

If Caster Semenya's hormone level is not naturally occurring that is concerning. Let’s face facts we know others out there are doping. It’s a sad story all around.

Why only now?! Sports federations should develop rules that allow gender determination (for the sake of sports competition) BEFORE an athletic event, not after. One wonders about the emotional damage done to young Caster Semenya by the investigation. This already happened to Santhi Soundarajan who attempted to commit suicide. Perhaps that psychologist will be needed after all.